schatzi with her fresh little baby girl (!), drinking some hot molasses electrolyte water post kidding. It helps her replace all the warmth she lost inside her body from her baby coming out into the world!.
a mom goat cleaning off her baby is a welcome sight. Last year Schatzi had such a difficult labor she didn't want her baby, but this year I helped her get the baby out, and it went better, now she loves her little one!
My first batch of turkey babies arrived via the mail
Tuesday, the first goat babies arrived. Wednesday I got the call that the turkey babies arrived! What more can a gal ask for than baby animals coming in from all over the place? TYpically hatcheries send chicks of all types through the post office. Crazy, but true.
here they are snug as a bug in a rug
So here are my little ones, all snug in my bathroom brooder: a giant chip box, lined with newspaper, pine shavings and outfitted with water, food and a heat lamp to keep them around 75-90 degrees. They can move from super warm to a bit cooler, as they need. These little poults (the more official turkey baby term) are amazingly calm, attentive and active. but sleepy too. Their journey to my house was a stressful time. Because baby birds hatch out of an egg outfitted with the yolk, they have all they need food wise, for about 2 days. That’s why they can be shipped overnight in the mail, right after hatching. But let the feeding frenzy begin once they arrived here. These little guys are chowhounds! I have both Bronze and Giant White Broad Breasted poults. I am raising them for the 4th of July backyard BBQ celebrations, thinking I will have a nice market for turkeys for deepfrying. this has become a kind of phenomenon, as of lately. I haven’t tried it yet, but have heard it leads to the most succulent meat ever!
they run around, eat, then fall fast asleep on each other after all the excitement
The other exciting news here is that my Bourbon Red (heritage breed) hen turkey started laying eggs! After seeing at least three breeding attempts, I am quite sure these eggs are fertile. I have two eggs collected so far.
uh huh, that looks serious!
My plan is to collect each egg, except the first which is left in the nest as a lure for her to keep laying eggs there, from the nest for a month for my own incubation. Then I’ll see if she builds up her own nest and let her decide if she wants to sit on them. Heritage breeds have these usual behaviors left intact, not messed with by genetic selection.
a turkey egg from my lovely, crazy hen!
Everything I have read about Bourbon Red turkeys suggests they are great mothers. And I may return the collected eggs to her to sit on. Or have one of my broody chicken hens sit on the eggs instead of the incubator. We’ll see. I am glad to be pulling the eggs out of the cold night air though. What a blessing each day out here is!
me and metallika's little doeling
the webmaster andrew, metallika and her beautiful babies!
Today it was cloudy, rainy and not so nice out. What a great day to go into labor! Safe and snug in the little barn, I noticed Metallika, my best goat ever, acting like today was the day. But this has been happening for over a month. Who knows when it is for real??!! Well, apparently today I did. My friend Andrew came up for a visit, and we ate grits with feta, then took off to visit Evan’s new Jersey cows in Turtle Lake. he said “you know it won’t happen unless you leave, so come on over!” We had a fun time admiring his gorgeous pregger cows and fun conversation. Then as we returned to my place, I heard that lil’ baby cry!! Oh yeah, there was Metallika with her two babies, all toddling awkwardly around, mostly dried off and calling to her. How wonderful. Love is my goat momma, licking her babies and then giving me lick-kisses on the cheek! xoxo momma!
ahhh, gotta love baby goats!
